Formulae and  

transposition 1.5
 

Introduction
Formulae are used frequently in almost all aspects of engineering in order to relate a physical
quantity to one or more others. Many well-known physical laws are described using formulae.
For example, you may have already seen Ohm’s law, v = iR, or Newton’s second law of motion,
F = ma. In this section we describe the process of evaluating a formula, explain what is meant
by the subject of a formula, and show how a formula is rearranged or transposed. These are
basic skills required in all aspects of engineering.

 

Prerequisites ① be able to add, subtract, multiply and

divide algebraic fractions
Before starting this Section you should . . .
 

✓ transpose a formula
Learning Outcomes
After completing this Section you should be
able to . . .
1. Using formulae and substitution
In the study of engineering, physical quantities can be related to each other using a formula.
The formula will contain variables and constants which represent the physical quantities. To
evaluate a formula we must substitute numbers in place of the variables.
For example, Ohm’s law provides a formula for relating the voltage, v, across a resistor with
resistance value, R, to the current through it, i. The formula states

v = iR

We can use this formula to calculate v if we know values for i and R. For example, if i = 13 A,
and R = 5 Ω,then

v = iR
= (13)(5)
= 65

The voltage is 65 V.
Note from this example that it is important to pay attention to the units of any physical
quantities involved. Unless a consistent set of units is used a formula is not valid.

Example The kinetic energy, K, of an object of mass M moving with speed v can be
calculated from the formula, K = 12 M v 2 .
Calculate the kinetic energy of an object of mass 5 kg moving with a speed of
2 ms−1 .

Solution
In this example M = 5 and v = 2. Substituting these values into the formula we find
1
K = M v2
2
1
= (5)(22 )
2
= 10

In the SI system the unit of energy is the joule. Hence the kinetic energy of the object is 10
joules.

The area, A, of the circle of radius r can be calculated from the formula
A = πr2 .
Equivalently, if we know the diameter of the circle, d, we can use the equivalent
2
formula A = πd4 . Find the area of a circle having diameter 0.1m. Your
calculator will be preprogrammed with the value of π.
The area of the circle is

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1.5: Formulae and transposition
 Your solution
A=

4
= 0.0079m2 π(0.1)2

Example The volume, V , of a circular cylinder is equal to its cross-sectional area, A,

times its length, h.
Find the volume of a cylinder having diameter 0.1m and length 0.3m

Solution
We can use the result of the previous example to obtain the cross-sectional area. Then

V = Ah
π(0.1)2
= × 0.3
4
= 0.0024

The volume is 0.0024m3 .

2. Rearranging a formula
In the formula for the area of a circle, A = πr2 , we say that A is the subject of the formula. A
variable is the subject of the formula if it appears by itself on one side of the formula, usually
the left-hand side, and nowhere else in the formula. If we are asked to transpose the formula
for r, or solve for r, then we have to make r the subject of the formula. When transposing a
formula whaterver is done to one side is done to the other. There are five rules that must be
adhered to.

Key Point
You may carry out the following
• add the same quantity to both sides of the formula
• subtract the same quantity from both sides of the formula
• multiply both sides of the formula by the same quantity
• divide both sides of the formula by the same quantity
• take ‘functions’ of both sides of the formula: for example,
square both sides, find the reciprocal of both sides.

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1.5: Formulae and transposition
Example Transpose the formula p = 5t − 17 for t.

Solution
We must try to obtain t on its own on the left-hand side. We do this in stages by using one or
more of the five rules. For example by adding 17 to both sides of p = 5t − 17 we find

p + 17 = 5t − 17 + 17
so that p + 17 = 5t

Dividing both sides by 5 we obtain t on its own:

p + 17
=t
5
p+17
so that t = 5
.

√
Example Transpose the formula 2q = p for q.

Solution
√
First of all we square both sides to remove the square root around 2q. Note that ( 2q)2 = 2q.
This gives
2q = p2
p2
Dividing both sides by 2 gives q = 2
.

√
Transpose the formula v = t2 + w for w.
We must try to obtain w on its own on the left-hand side. We do this in several
stages. First of all square both sides to remove the square root around t2 + w.
This gives

Your solution

v 2 = t2 + w

Then subtract t2 from both sides to obtain an expression for w.

Your solution

v 2 − t2 = w

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1.5: Formulae and transposition
Finally, we can write down the formula for w:
Your solution

w = v 2 − t2

Example Transpose x = 1
y
for y.

Solution
We must try to obtain an expression for y. In the given formula y appears in the form of a
fraction. Multiplying both sides by y has the effect of removing this fraction:
1
multiply both sides of x = by y to get
y
1
yx = y ×
y
so that yx = 1

Dividing both sides by x leaves y on its own, y = x1 .

Alternatively: simply invert both sides.

Example Make R the subject of the formula

2 3
=
R x+y

Solution
In the given form R appears in a fraction. Inverting both sides gives
R x+y
=
2 3
Thus multiplying both sides by 2 implies

2(x + y)
R =
3

Example Make R the subject of the formula 1

R
= 1
R1
+ 1
R2
.

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1.5: Formulae and transposition
 Solution
The two terms on the right can be added to give
1 1 R2 + R1
+ =
R1 R2 R1 R2
The given formula becomes
1 R 2 + R1
=
R R 1 R2
Now inverting both sides gives
R1 R2
R=
R2 + R1

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1.5: Formulae and transposition
 Exercises
1. The formula for the volume of a cylinder is V = πr2 h. Find V when r = 5cm and
h = 15cm.

2. If R = 5p2 , find R when a) p = 10, b) p = 16.

3. For the following formulae, find y at the given values of x.

(a) y = 3x + 2, x = −1, x = 0, x = 1.
(b) y = −4x + 7, x = −2, x = 0, x = 1.
3
4. If P = QR
find P if Q = 15 and R = 0.300.

x
5. If y = z
find y if x = 13.200 and z = 15.600.

6. Evaluate M = π
2r+s
when r = 23.700 and s = −0.2.

7. To convert a length measured in metres to one measured in centimetres, the length in

metres is multiplied by 100. Convert the following lengths to cm. a) 5m, b) 0.5m,
c) 56.2m

8. To convert an area measured in m2 to one measured in cm2 , the area in m2 is multiplied

by 104 . Convert the following areas to cm2 . a) 5m2 , b) 0.33m2 , c) 6.2m2

9. To convert a volume measured in m3 to one measured in cm3 , the volume in m3 is multiplied

by 106 . Convert the following volumes to cm3 . a) 15m3 , b) 0.25m3 , c) 8.2m3
4QP
10. If η = πd2 Ln
evaluate η when QP = 0.0003, d = 0.05, L = 0.1 and n = 2.

11. For the following formulae, find y at the given values of x.

(a) y = 2 − x, x = −3, x = −1, x = 1, x = 2.

(b) y = x , 2
x = −2, x = −1, x = 0, x = 1, x = 2.

12. The moment of inertia of an object is a measure of its resistance to rotation. It depends
upon both the mass of the object and the distribution of mass about the axis of rotation.
It can be shown that the moment of inertia, J, of a solid disc rotating about an axis
through its centre and perpendicular to the plane of the disc, is given by the formula
1
J = M a2
2
where M is the mass of the disc and a is its radius. Find the moment of inertia of a disc
of mass 12 kg and diameter 10 m. The SI unit of moment of inertia is kg m2 .

13. Transpose the given formulae to make the given variable the subject.
a) y = 3x − 7, for x, b) 8y + 3x = 4, for x, c) 8x + 3y = 4 for y,
d) 13 − 2x − 7y = 0 for x.

14. Transpose the formula P V = RT for a) V , b) P , c) R, d) T .

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1.5: Formulae and transposition
 √
15. Transpose v = x + 2y, a) for x, b) for y.
16. Transpose 8u + 4v − 3w = 17 for each of u, v and w.
17. When a ball is dropped from rest onto a horizontal surface it will bounce before eventually
coming to rest after a time T where
 
2v 1
T =
g 1−e

where v is the speed immediately after the first impact, and g is a constant called the acceleration
due to gravity. Transpose this formula to make e, the coefficient of restitution, the subject.

2gh
18. Transpose q = A1 (A1 /A 2 ) −1
2 for A2 .

19. Make x the subject of a) y = 1−rx , b) y = x−1
r+x
x+1
.
1+yr
y−r
, b) x = 1−y 1+y 2
2 19. a) x =
1
A2 = ± 2A2 gh+q 2 18.
A12 q 2

e = 1 − gT
17. 2v
8 4 3
u = 17−4v+3w
16. , v = 17−8u+3w , w = 8u+4v−17
2
a) x = v 2 − 2y, b) y = v −x
15.
2
a) V = RT
14. P
, b) P = RT V
, c) R = PTV , d) T = PRV
3 3 3 2
a) x = y+7
13. , b) x = 4−8y , c) y = 4−8x , d) x = 13−7y
12. 150 kg m2 .
10. η = 0.764. 11. a) 5,3,1,0, b) 4,1,0,1,4.
9. a) 15000000 cm3 , b) 250000 cm3 , c) 8200000 cm3 .
8. a) 50000 cm2 , b) 3300 cm2 , c) 62000 cm2 .
7. a) 500 cm, b) 50 cm, c) 5620 cm.
6. M = 0.067
5. y = 0.920
4. P =0.667
3. a) −1, 2, 5, b) 15, 7, 3
2. a) 500, b) 1280
Answers 1. 1178.1 cm3

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1.5: Formulae and transposition